010 Bushels ❦ [Video/Action for New Bark Town]

[buckyouup]

[Good evening, residents of Johto. I hope you're a fan of loud sounds! The 'Gear feed opens to the sound of a loud crack of a backpack hitting a tree, before splashing down into a pile of snow.]

You ate all my food, you good-for-nothing thief! [A young woman's voice yells out in a heavy southern drawl. The target of her frustration wanders into view: a Munchlax, who takes the opportunity to rummage through her backpack for any morsel he might have left behind in his last raid. His eyes grow wide at the sight of the pokegear. It's so shiny and red, like a big yummy apple.

...And then anyone watching gets to find out what the inside of a Munchlax's mouth looks like.]

Gimme that! That ain't for eatin'!

[A woman's hand rips the 'Gear from the pokemon's mouth, the force causing her to topple backwards into the snow. She appears to be in her early twenties, her face dotted with freckles and framed with golden-blonde hair tied into a ponytail near the bottom. Wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans and an orange button-down, she doesn't exactly look properly dressed for the weather. She shifts awkwardly in the snow, fumbling with the 'Gear.]

Darn these wiggly things, an' this weird body. [She snorts in frustration, before giving up and using her mouth to turn off the feed.]

Comments

[buckyouup]

If it ain't in that thing's stomach, you mean...

[She fumbles around a bit, until she eventually finds the ball in a notch in her belt. Her fingers worm around the ball, trying to get a solid grip on it, before pointing it at the Munchlax.]

S'this right?

[friendyousohard]

That's the one. Just hold it out and tell it to return, and it will. Once it's out of the way I can give you a bit more of an explanation as to what's going on.

[buckyouup]

Alright, um... "return"?

[The moment she speaks, the ball sends out a ray of light, hitting the startled Munchlax and drawing it into the ball. Applejack's eyes go wide.]

W-what in the hay!?

[friendyousohard]

Like I said. They say it isn't magic, but for all I can tell, it might as well be. Don't worry, that doesn't hurt it at all, and you can let it out whenever you want.

Okay, so now that the emergency is taken care of, I'd better give you the basic rundown of what's going on. We've been taken to another world, turned into these ape-like creatures, which are called humans, and we're supposed to capture and train creatures like those, which are called "Pokemon". Are you following me so far?

[buckyouup]

I... reckon so. [She scratches the back of her head, looking at the ground.]

[friendyousohard]

Alright. Ordinarily, you'd have to walk out of the town you've arrived in to the next one, and then the next, before you got to see us, but fortunately I have Pokemon that can fly, so I'll be coming to get you very soon. You might want to give me any questions you have now.

[buckyouup]

Alright. Why does this all this craziness seem so...

[She sighs in frustration.]

So familiar.

[friendyousohard]

Familiar?

[That stops her cold. She stares at the gear for a moment before answering.]

Well... you've been here before, but usually nopony remembers what happened here when they leave.

[But there are exceptions, she knows. Her eyes widen a bit. Was her earlier assumption wrong?]

[buckyouup]

Y-yeah. This body... these... "pokey-mon", things. I feel like I had a dream like this, or somethin'.

[friendyousohard]

[She can't speak for a moment, too sideswiped by this surprise to answer. If those memories are there, how can they bring them back out?]

Does anything else seem familiar? Do you remember... all of us being together, as humans? In a city, maybe?

[buckyouup]

Now that you mention... I remember it feelin' a whole lot like Manehattan. Real big, an' busy.

[friendyousohard]

[There's no way she could have just guessed that. Twilight's breath catches, and she takes another long pause before deciding on her next question.]

Do you remember a large dog?

[buckyouup]

I'm... not so sure. Maybe? It's real fuzzy, Twi.

[friendyousohard]

Alright, well, maybe more will come to you with a bit of time. I'm going to hop on my Dragon and fly down to the town you're in, and bring you back to where me, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash are. So don't leave New Bark, alright?

[buckyouup]

[She raises a brow.]

You're gonna fly here... on a dragon.

[friendyousohard]

I promise you, Applejack, it's perfectly safe. Spike- not our Spike, I just... named my Dragonite after him is perfectly capable of carrying me and at least one other passenger, and I trust him with my life.

[buckyouup]

An' I trust you, so... I'll be by the gate, alright?

[friendyousohard]

Alright, that'll work fine.

[There's the sound of a door opening as Twilight steps outside.]

Just keep talking to the others and learn as much as you can about the situation, I'll fill you in on whatever you miss. And I know the rest of you don't have my... attachment to books, but if you have time, you should check this out too.

training for dummies.txt

Don't let the name put you off, it's written by a friend of mine who's very knowledgeable about the world and about Pokemon. It's very useful.

[There's a popping sound, a woosh, and a loud roar as Twilight releases her Dragonite.]

I'll see you soon, AJ! [She hops onto the dragon's back, and it spreads its wings wide.]

[buckyouup]

[She grunts at the word "dummies". She's a lot of things, but she ain't no dummy. Still, Twilight suggests reading it, so she'll start skimming it over while she waits.]

[friendyousohard]

[Even though flight is easily the fastest way to travel, and Violet and New Bark aren't that far apart, it's still a bit over an hour and a half before Twilight shows up as a speck on the horizon. A very, very rapidly growing speck, with how fast Spike can fly.

As they come in towards the town, they start to descend, heading straight for the gates leading out. Spike rushes down like a missile, swooping in and rushing until he's right above the ground. As he nears AJ, his wings flare wide, and he brings out his feet to land.

He stops just a few feet away from her, and greets her with a cheery growl. Twilight leaps off his back, and straight at Applejack with outstretched arms.]

AJ! It's so good to see you again!

[buckyouup]

[As the dragon comes in for the landing, Applejack dives out of the way, scared out of her wits by what looks like a living missile heading right for her. When Twilight speaks up, she sits up, her face and hair covered in snow, and her bare toes looking a bit blue.]

How in the hay did you learn to fly a dragon!?

[friendyousohard]

Well, he... really flies himself, I just hang on, and- Oh my Celestia, Applejack! Your feet!

[She kneels down and grabs one of AJ's feet with a very worried expression.] This is awful! We've got to get these warmed up right away. [Unclipping a ball from her belt, she tosses it into the air.] Come out, Pyrolepi!

[The enormous fire caterpillar poofs into existence right in front of AJ, and Twilight quickly sets her feet on her.] Don't worry. Pyrolepi's part fire, so she'll get your feet warmed back up in no time. Did your Munchlax really eat all your shoes and socks?

[buckyouup]

[Her eyes widen at the large fire bug. The scene unfolding before her was far from normal, but Twilight at least looked like she knew what she was doing.]

There ain't much in that backpack this thing didn't eat.

[friendyousohard]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, they call it "munch" lax for a reason. Well, don't worry. I thought ahead.

[She swings her own backpack off her back and sets in down in front of Applejack, unzipping it to reveal a whole new set of winter-ready clothes!]

They're in my size, so they might not fit you perfectly, but it's got to be better than nothing, right?

[buckyouup]

[She chuckles, smiling.]

Twi, you're just about the greatest friend a gal could ask for.